{"id":141800,"date":"2020-08-19T16:20:50","date_gmt":"2020-08-19T16:20:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.searchenginewatch.com\/?p=141800"},"modified":"2020-08-19T16:20:50","modified_gmt":"2020-08-19T16:20:50","slug":"how-to-optimize-for-the-instagram-algorithm-in-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2020\/08\/19\/how-to-optimize-for-the-instagram-algorithm-in-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"How to optimize for the Instagram algorithm in 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"well\">\n<h3>30-second summary:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instagram uses an ever-changing, machine learning-powered algorithm to customize and arrange posts in user feeds.<\/span> \u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ever since the platform left the chronological feed behind and moved to the algorithmic feed years ago, marketers, content creators, and users alike have been speculating on what exactly determines which posts make it to the top. <\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are six key factors that the Instagram algorithm relies on to determine which posts should appear first: interest, relationship, recency, frequency, following, and usage.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These six key factors are backed by performance metrics and patterns of user behaviors.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Optimizing for the Instagram algorithm requires an understanding of key ranking factors and compliance with key metrics.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;Show me your Instagram feed and I\u2019ll tell you who you are&#8221; \u2014 is a beautiful sentiment but it\u2019s not actually the case. What\u2019s closer to the truth is, show me your Instagram feed and I\u2019ll tell you what the Instagram algorithm thinks is good for you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s no secret that the content you see in your Instagram feed and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/2018\/06\/01\/how-instagram-feed-works\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the way it\u2019s arranged<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is customized for you. Ever since the platform left the chronological feed behind and moved to the algorithmic feed years ago, marketers, content creators, and users alike have been speculating on what exactly determines which posts make it to the top. Why is it that some posts, however recent and relevant, never appear first in the feed? Likewise, what makes some content rank high regardless of its relevance and recency?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although Instagram\u2019s <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/life-style\/gadgets-and-tech\/news\/instagram-update-feature-latest-posts-chronological-feed-a9335476.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">chronological feed might make a comeback<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> one day, for the time being, what we\u2019re working with is the algorithmic feed powered by machine learning. As confirmed by Instagram itself (well, the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/stories\/highlights\/18127267084026749\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">creators<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> behind it), feed ranking is evolving and changing all the time based on user data. This brings about both good and bad news for the people and businesses aiming to win the Instagram ranking game.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The bad news is, there\u2019ll always be something to catch up with. Working with an ever-changing algorithm means accepting the fact that it\u2019s ever-changing and keeping an eye on <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/awario.com\/blog\/category\/social-media-roundup\/?utm_source=searchenginewatch&amp;utm_medium=instagram-algorithm&amp;utm_campaign=searchenginewatch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">all social media updates<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The good news is, ranking factors \u2014 and this goes both for search engines and social media algorithmic feeds \u2014 can still be discerned and optimized for. In this post, we\u2019ll take a closer look at what makes and breaks Instagram content.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Instagram ranking factors<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There\u2019s been <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wordstream.com\/blog\/ws\/2018\/06\/13\/instagram-algorithm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a lot of buzz<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> around what helps the Instagram algorithm determine which posts deserve each user\u2019s immediate attention and should be therefore placed at the top of the feed. What we\u2019re looking at in 2020 and beyond it seems, are six key factors Instagram\u2019s ranking algorithm relies on when arranging posts.<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Interest<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2014 how much a user is expected to care about the post<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Relationship<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2014 how a user is related to the authors of the posts in social media terms and literally, that is accounts from the \u201cfriends and family\u201d category are prioritized<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Recency<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2014 how recently the content was posted<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Frequency<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2014 how often a user opens Instagram, that is, the best posts since the user\u2019s last visit will be displayed first<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Following<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2014 how many accounts a user follows, that means, the more posts there are to rank, the harder it is to display all of them<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Usage<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2014 how much time a user spends on Instagram per session<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As you can see, the six factors all help paint a decent picture of what type of behaviors any user displays and what type of content simply must get into the user\u2019s radar, however rare and short their visits to the app. Ultimately, all factors belong to three types of ranking signals: <\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Interest<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Timeliness<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Relationship\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Naturally, the factors per se only give us a general idea of what kind of framework the algorithm operates within. To understand what it is that impacts Instagram rankings, we need to dive deeper and take a look at the metrics behind the key factors.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Instagram ranking metrics<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you think about it, every metric on the ranking algorithm\u2019s radar makes sense because it corresponds to the 6 key factors that determine Instagram ranking gains and losses. Let\u2019s revisit the factors and see what kind of metrics they translate into.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>1. Interest = Engagement<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s very difficult to determine which posts will be of the most interest to the user. To do that accurately, the algorithm needs to analyze every type of engagement in the book, recognizing the patterns and making predictions about future behaviors. The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/B7rY_wkBj38\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">types of engagement Instagram recognizes<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Comments (of all shapes and sizes!)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Likes<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reshares<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Views (for video content)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition to those, creators need to aim for saves \u2014 a type of engagement that\u2019s likely to be valued the most in a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/instagram-removing-likes-what-it-will-look-like-2019-11\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">likes-free world<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> dreaded by some and anticipated by others. Saves reflect an even stronger likelihood of further engagement as users are expected to go back to the posts they saved and interact with the content multiple times.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>2. Relationship = Engagement + Real-life connections<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before you get weirded out, consider this: Instagram doesn\u2019t have to run actual surveillance and dig up records to establish your real-life connections and prioritize posts in your feed. It doesn\u2019t need to, as users provide <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/what-will-go-into-instagrams-algorithm-2016-3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">multiple hints<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as to which of their Instagram interactions might fall into the \u201cfriends and family\u201d category:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Frequent likes and other types of engagement with posts<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Accounts users search for<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Accounts users send messages to<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Posts that get shared a lot<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Any type of behavior that signifies a real-life connection<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s therefore perfectly doable to establish a friend or relative, seeing how people tend to interact the most with content from their actual friends and family members. However, once an account has been flagged as a close relation to a user, it doesn\u2019t stay in the top place for long. Consistency of posting is also key to staying Instagram-relevant, hence the need to be visible and active to remain in users\u2019 sight.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>3. Recency = Time of posting<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By now, it\u2019s been established that engagement is &#8220;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> metric&#8221; to look out for when trying to crack Instagram\u2019s ranking algorithm. However, the content has an expiration date \u2014 therefore, the recency of posts also counts. The intention is simple: Instagram is determined to serve only relevant content to its users. Posts that have been out there for a good minute may no longer be relevant, that\u2019s why recency is a ranking condition too.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was once thought that in order to be ranked high, content creators needed to strive for absolute maximum user engagement within 30 minutes since their posts went live. As <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/stories\/highlights\/18127267084026749\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">confirmed by Instagram<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, there\u2019s no such requirement. That said, it helps to know the best time for posting, that is, the time when the account\u2019s audience is online and most likely to interact with posts and give them a timely <a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2019\/08\/05\/linkedin-algorithm-boost-engagement\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">engagement boost<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>4. Frequency, following, usage = user data<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The three factors that have nothing to do with the content or technology behind posting and everything to do with user behaviors are frequency, following, and usage. They all help Instagram\u2019s ranking algorithm learn more about each user\u2019s habits and mode of using the app: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.statista.com\/statistics\/308152\/us-instagram-usage-frequency\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">how often<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, for how long, and to what extent any given individual uses Instagram.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More active users of the app will for obvious reasons see more content as they spend more time browsing Instagram and explore more posts in total. <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> most active users might even see a chronological feed of sorts, as there are only so many relevant posts, and the feed gets populated with all of the available content eventually.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Meanwhile, users who follow a lot of accounts, even if they choose to spend hours browsing Instagram, are unlikely to see every single post as there are just too many to fit into one person\u2019s feed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>How to optimize for the Instagram algorithm<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now that we\u2019ve gone through the basics of Instagram\u2019s ranking system, let\u2019s see what can be done to help content rise in Instagram\u2019s eyes and user feeds.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>1. Research your audience<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Seeing how Instagram seems to have users\u2019 best interests in mind (or at least that\u2019s what\u2019s being projected via personalizing feeds), it makes all the sense to strive for top audience engagement and maximum relevance. This can only be done by running a thorough <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/awario.com\/blog\/audience-analysis-guide\/?utm_source=searchenginewatch&amp;utm_medium=instagram-algorithm&amp;utm_campaign=searchenginewatch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">audience analysis<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2014 a full scan of an audience segment that reveals, among other things, preferences, interests, alliances, and even stances in public debates.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Employing <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/awario.com\/blog\/social-media-monitoring-101\/?utm_source=searchenginewatch&amp;utm_medium=instagram-algorithm&amp;utm_campaign=searchenginewatch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">social media listening<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in researching the Instagram environment means <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">monitoring Instagram conversations<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and drawing data-powered insights for every move. Content curation to hashtag analysis \u2014 knowing what\u2019s buzzing around your brand, what\u2019s trending and can be amplified on, and what resonates best with your audience empowers you to craft your best Instagram posts and please the algorithm, too.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>2. Be present<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In social media terms, being present means posting consistently while staying relevant. Although the 30-minute-rule to getting engagement has been busted, it definitely helps to know your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.expertvoice.com\/the-best-times-to-post-on-instagram\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">best posting time<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and post consistently. Maintaining a consistent Instagram presence, especially when you\u2019re striving for maximum user engagement, can be exhausting. Luckily, there are always <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/awario.com\/blog\/8-instagram-post-ideas-for-businesses-to-increase-sales\/?utm_source=searchenginewatch&amp;utm_medium=instagram-algorithm&amp;utm_campaign=searchenginewatch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instagram content ideas<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> you can borrow from fellow marketers in pursuit of getting the most out of brands\u2019 social profiles.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To boost brand visibility and secure a top spot on the screen, do not neglect posting to Instagram Stories. As long as the content is engaging, diversifying the formats it comes in will only get you more ranking points.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>3. Incorporate IGTV videos<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While it has been confirmed that Instagram does not discriminate between photo and video content as users simply see more of the type of content they already interact with the most, incorporating videos can do no harm to your Instagram rankings.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For one, video content gets a longer viewing period, which means you boost user retention and prolong the interaction people have with your content. In addition to that, IGTV video content can take up <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/B5qy0aXhPSw\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">four times as much screen space<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as photos in Instagram\u2019s Explore section, i.e. putting IGTV videos out there increases your chances to be discovered and interacted with.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>4. Do not hesitate to move to a business profile if you need to<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the same myth-busting spree, Instagram <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/stories\/highlights\/18127267084026749\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">confirmed<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that the way posts are arranged in user feeds is not determined by the type of accounts creators hold. Whether you post as a business or individual and whether or not your account is verified \u2014 what determines your position in the feed is engagement and genuine interest in the content you put out. Which brings us to the final tip.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>5. Keep it real<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Authenticity and transparency come first and second. Striving to replicate the human world, Instagram operates by the rules of likability and genuine engagement. To achieve that, content creators need to appeal to their audiences like never before, working on building unique <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/awario.com\/blog\/brand-personality\/?utm_source=searchenginewatch&amp;utm_medium=instagram-algorithm&amp;utm_campaign=searchenginewatch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">brand personalities<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, collaborating with <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/awario.com\/blog\/find-instagram-influencers-free-paid-tools\/?utm_source=searchenginewatch&amp;utm_medium=instagram-algorithm&amp;utm_campaign=searchenginewatch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instagram influencers<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in favor of celebrities, and staying authentic above promotional.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When it\u2019s machine learning that determines authenticity or the lack thereof, appearing genuine is a game-changer. More often than not, authenticity means engagement, and engagement is the gold of the Instagram ranking game.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Wrapping up<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instagram ranking signals come and go, user behaviors keep changing, new formats emerge and fade away \u2014 combined, things to keep up with may appear overwhelming. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, behind the smartest social media algorithms are solid logic and good intentions. Understanding how Instagram content is ranked and acting on the patterns is the least you can do to help people discover and engage with your content. From there, winning the Instagram game boils down to playing by the rules and keeping it real.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em>Julia Miashkova is a social data analyst with a background in public relations and SEO. Her focus is social listening research and data journalism. She can be found on Twitter <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JMiashkova\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@JMiashkova<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Understanding the logic behind the Instagram algorithm is the safest way into users\u2019 feeds. Here&#8217;s all you need to know about it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1092,"featured_media":141801,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[27204,75,369,993,27914,27422,27915,27099,96,27884],"content_type":[],"class_list":["post-141800","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-social","tag-audience-engagement-metrics","tag-content-2","tag-evergreen-content","tag-instagram","tag-instagram-algorithm","tag-instagram-marketing","tag-instagram-optimization","tag-instagram-profile","tag-social-media","tag-social-media-optimization-smo"],"acf":{"tad_independentcommercial":false,"tad_content_format":false},"post_info":{"name":"idris.nagri@blenheimchalcot.com idris.nagri@blenheimchalcot.com","title":"","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/How-to-optimize-for-the-Instagram-algorithm-in-2020-scaled.jpg","category":"Social","timeago":"5y"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/141800","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1092"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=141800"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/141800\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/141801"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=141800"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=141800"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=141800"},{"taxonomy":"content_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/content_type?post=141800"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}